New Orleans Paternity & Filiation Lawyers

Aggressive & Competent Advocacy from Our Family Law Firm in LA (504) 684-5200

Two is usually better than one. This idea certainly applies to having involved parents, when it comes to the best interests of your child. In many instances, when parents are not married prior to the birth of a child, no father is listed on the birth certificate, and the child does not have a legal father. Filing an action for paternity or filiation can be important in protecting the rights of children and their parents, whether by consent or through the court.

Whether you are a father seeking to establish paternity of a child, or a child or mother on behalf of a child seeking to filiate to a father, the New Orleans family lawyers at SVHC can help. We work to assist our clients in establishing and understanding their rights and guide them through the process of legally establishing parentage and the rights and responsibilities that accompany it.

Paternity vs. Filiation: What's The Difference?

In Louisiana, most people use the terms paternity and filiation interchangeably, however, there are some technical differences.

A paternity action is one in which a father wishes to establish that a child is legally his. Many fathers who are not married to the mother of their biological child seek this action to establish custody and visitation with their biological child.

An action for filiation is one in which the child asks the court to establish that he or she is the legal offspring of the father. Often, the mother initiates these suits on behalf of the child in order to receive benefits such as child support.

Either of these actions may create the obligation of the father to financially support the child and can create a right for the child to inherit a portion of the father's estate. If you have questions about paternity, filiation or any other family law issue, we should talk. Our New Orleans family attorneys offer paternity and filiation consultations in person, by telephone, and through online media.